predominantly Sunni), 0.7% Christian, 0.3% Jewish

Language: Arabic, Israeli settlers speak Hebrew, English widely
understood

Literacy: NA%

Labor force: (excluding Israeli Jewish settlers) 32.0% small industry,
commerce and business, 24.4% construction, 25.5% service and other, and
18.1% agriculture (1984)

Organized labor: NA

- Government
Long-form name: none

Note: The Gaza Strip is currently governed by Israeli military authorities
and Israeli civil administration. It is US policy that the final status of the
Gaza Strip will be determined by negotiations among the concerned parties. These
negotiations will determine how this area is to be governed.

- Economy
Overview: Nearly half of the labor force of the Gaza Strip is employed
across the border by Israeli industrial, construction, and agricultural
enterprises, with worker transfer funds accounting for 40% of GNP in 1989. The
once dominant agricultural sector now contributes only 13% to GNP, about the
same as that of the construction sector, and industry accounts for 7%. Gaza
depends upon Israel for 90% of its imports and as a market for 80% of its
exports. Unrest in the territory in 1988-89 (intifadah) has raised
unemployment and substantially lowered the incomes of the population.

GNP: $380 million, per capita $650; real growth rate NA% (1988)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): NA%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues $36.6 million; expenditures $32.0 million, including
capital expenditures of NA (1986)

Exports: $88 million;
commodities--citrus;
partners--Israel, Egypt (1989 est.)

Imports: $260 million;
commodities--food, consumer goods, construction materials;
partners--Israel, Egypt (1989 est.)

External debt: $NA

Industrial production: growth rate NA%

Electricity: power supplied by Israel

Industries: generally small family businesses that produce cement,
textiles, soap, olive-wood carvings, and mother-of-pearl souvenirs; the Israelis
have established some small-scale modern industries in an industrial center

Agriculture: olives, citrus and other fruits, vegetables, beef, dairy
products

Aid: none

Currency: new Israeli shekel (plural--shekels);
1 new Israeli shekel (NIS) = 100 new agorot

Exchange rates: new Israeli shekels (NIS) per US$1--1.9450 (January
1990), 1.9164 (1989), 1.5989 (1988), 1.5946 (1987), 1.4878 (1986), 1.1788 (1985)

Fiscal year: 1 April-March 31

- Communications
Railroads: one line, abandone